The Marine Who Has Barney Frank Worried

In a district where Scott Brown won, Sean Bielat mounts a serious challenge.

James TarantoThe Wall Street Journal
10/9/2010

Fall River, Mass.

‘I don’t consider myself a tea party candidate,” Sean Bielat tells me over dinner. “I don’t know what it means.” But an hour later Mr. Bielat, Rep. Barney Frank’s Republican challenger, receives a hero’s welcome at the Spindle City Tea Party, a gathering of nearly 200 citizen- activists in this economically depressed mill town. As he approaches the stage, they stand, applauding and chanting “Go, Sean, go!”

What he tells them is consistent with this reporter’s view of the tea party: “I’m starting to think that people want to take this country back—that people no longer believe that the government has the answers for our betterment, that the government can tell them how they should use their money. People believe that they have the power to create their own opportunity, if only they are given the chance. . . . There is so much wrong in Washington, I almost don’t know where to start.”…

…Mr. Bielat’s varied résumé is quite a contrast with that of Mr. Frank, who is twice the challenger’s age yet has spent more than half his adult life in Congress. “Of his 45 years of work experience, 44 have been either in political office or working for somebody in political office,” Mr. Bielat says of the incumbent. “The other one was teaching at the Harvard Kennedy School.” (No, Mr. Bielat did not have the congressman as a professor.)

…Two weeks ago Bill Clinton traveled to the district to stump for Mr. Frank—a visit that backfired, to hear Mr. Bielat tell it: “The minute I heard that he was bringing Bill Clinton to campaign, I shouted for joy, because it said a lot about the state of this campaign. . . . I don’t think Bill Clinton being here won him a whole lot of votes. It got me a lot of money and coverage.” Mr. Bielat raised some $400,000 just in the two weeks after the Sept. 14 primary…